February 2003 - test-neighbhorhood@test.highlandparkpa.com

2/20/03 HPCC Meeting Minutes
by Shannon Mischler 26 Feb '03

26 Feb '03

The meeting was called to order by President Lisa Williams. Lisa welcomed new officers Bob Staresinic, as Vice President, and Stacy Gray, as the Children's Committee Chair. The Hospitality Chair, Kate Zober, has resigned that position, but will continue on as the Super Playground Chair. Lisa received information about the Zoo's Earth Day Extravaganza on Saturday April 26. They were soliciting HPCC for support of the Extravaganza. Tania Grubbs informed the meeting that HPCC has received a $5,000 grant from Jim Ferlo's Office--as previously noted in the treasurer's statement. Tania suggested use of of the money toward a kick-off celebration of the HP Fountain, after its completion in early summer. She would also like to have some money distributed to the Children's Committee, and some money will be allotted to wards the "Reservoir of Jazz" in July/August. Tania also announced that Dilworth Elementary School on Stanton Avenue would like to hold the April HPCC meeting at their school. They are transforming their curriculum into one of full art integration, and the Principal would like to present the new curriculum to Highland Park. Since St. Andrews is unavailable for the Thursday meeting and Pittsburgh Public Schools are closed on Thursday, the HPCC will change the night of the meeting to Wednesday April 16 at 7:30 PM at Dilworth Elementary School. Dell Ziegler invited Joanne Pope, a US Postal Inspector, to speak about mail fraud specifically directed at senior citizens. Ms. Pope showed a 30 minute video and spoke on identity and consumer fraud schemes, how to take care of unwanted solicitors, and what the US Postal Service is doing to combat mail fraud. The Crime Committee Chair, Jan Stayianos, spoke about recent crimes in Highland Park. There were 14 drug related arrests on Jackson and Mellon Street in the past month. A boy was shot on Portland Ave. He was released from the hospital. On Wellesley Ave. there was a car jacking, but the criminals were caught and the car was returned. There was a report by Highland Park residents on tow trucks illegally parked on King Rd., Beverly Place, and Negley Ave. There is a city ordinance that disallows tow trucks to be parked on residential streets between the hours of 7 PM and 7 AM, but several local tow truck companies in this area are not obeying the ordinance. The HPCC would like to support these residents of HP in a written letter to law enforcement. Michael Johnson presented further information about the Community Development Plan in a written outline. Michael also supplied the HPCC with a "Report on the Highland Park Survey Results v.2." There will be a third town meeting in early May 2003. And in late June the Community Plan process will come to a conclusion. If you have further questions, you can email Michael at mkljohn2(a)hotmail.com

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Post-Gazette reports Len Bodack Jr. wins special election
by Rudolph T Maceyko 25 Feb '03

25 Feb '03

Congratulations to Len for winning the election! He will fill out the remainder of Jim Ferlo's term, which ends in January. And thanks to all of the candidates. Read about the election results on the Post-Gazette web site: <http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/20030225electweb4p4.asp> The official results should be available by early March. Keep in mind that we vote again for our council representative in the primary in May and the general election in November, so if your favorite candidate didn't win you'll probably have the chance to try again soon! Rudy

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This week in Highland Park
by Rudolph T Maceyko 24 Feb '03

24 Feb '03

Who do you want to be your next City Council Representative? You can find out more about the candidates before making your choice in the special election tomorrow by visiting the Highland Park web site: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20030225-election.htm> Many of you were at the "Meet the Candidates" forum last week, where you were able to hear from all of the candidates in person: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20030218-candidates.htm> TUESDAY Council District 7 Special Election Registration for Citiparks Community Enrichment Programs at the Farmhouse at 6:00 pm THURSDAY Shadow Puppetry Workshop at Enrico's Tazza d'Oro at 4:30 pm Registration for Citiparks Community Enrichment Programs at the Farmhouse at 6:00 pm FRIDAY A Night of Music, Poetry, Open Mic, Art & Food at Enrico's Tazza d'Oro at 4:30 pm Visit the Community Calendar on the Highland Park web site for details: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/calendar/> If you know that something's happening and it's not on the calendar or the calendar is incorrect, please let me know. Rudy

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Citiparks community enrichment enrollment
by Rudolph T Maceyko 19 Feb '03

19 Feb '03

According to Citiparks Office of Special Programs, enrollment for community enrichment programs at the Farmhouse scheduled to begin on March 4 has been moved from this week to next week: February 25 & 27. For information about these 8-week programs (for ages 6-9, 10-15, & 18+) visit the Citiparks web site at: <http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parks/> Rudy

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Snow day today and meet the candidates on Tuesday
by Rudolph T Maceyko 17 Feb '03

17 Feb '03

SNOW DAY The Highland Park web site features photos taken around the neighborhood today. Don't worry: you'll see no snow shoveling, no cars buried in snow, and no unplowed streets here! <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20030217-snowday.htm> REMINDER TO MEET THE CANDIDATES The special election for our City Council representative is next week. On Tuesday the candidates are scheduled to participate in a "Meet the Candidates" forum moderated by Dr. Michael Johnson, director of the Highland Park Community Plan. Read about the forum and the special election: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20030225-election.htm> Read about the Community Plan: <http://www.highlandparkcommunity.com/> Rudy

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This week in Highland Park
by Rudolph T Maceyko 16 Feb '03

16 Feb '03

There's a lot going on in Highland Park this week. Visit the Community Calendar on the Highland Park web site for details: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/calendar/> TUESDAY Meet the City Council candidates at St. Andrew's Church at 7:00 pm WEDNESDAY A Night of Celebration at Enrico's Tazza d'Oro at 7:30 pm THURSDAY Highland Park Community Club Meeting at St. Andrew's Church at 7:30 pm FRIDAY Music at Enrico's Tazza d'Oro at 8:00 pm SATURDAY Highland Park Community Club party at 5:30 pm An Evening of Song at St. Andrew's Church at 8:00 pm Rudy

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Forum Volunteers Needed!
by Bruce Robison 14 Feb '03

14 Feb '03

Forum Volunteers Needed! The HP Community Club is co-sponsoring (with the East End Neighborhood Forum and St. Andrew's Church) a "Meet the Candidates Night" program at St. Andrew's at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18--just one week before the Special Election to fill the City Council District 7 seat vacated by our new State Senator Jim Ferlo. We need a few extra hands to make this work. Two or three folks who can help set up and serve the post-program refreshments and two or three who can work with Phyllis Felton of the Neighborhood Forum to manage the program itself (a time keeper is needed, for example). Anyway, we'd ask the volunteers to show up at around 6:15 p.m. If you'd be willing to lend a hand to make the event a great experience for all, please drop me an e-mail or give me a call at 412-661-1245. Many thanks! Bruce Robison HPCC Program Chair

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new subscribers & 3 events this Thursday
by Rudolph T Maceyko 11 Feb '03

11 Feb '03

I would like to welcome the additional members of the Highland Park Community Club who are now subscribed to the Highland Park Neighborhood mailing list. Thanks to Kelly Meade for allowing me to extract the addresses from her membership database. We now have over 240 addresses on the list. Please let me know if you have been subscribed to this list inappropriately and cannot unsubscribe yourself. The new addresses were originally hand written on membership forms and may have been garbled by the time they reached me... Anyway, I'm sending this short notice to you all so that you know that Thursday of this week is officially a very busy day... All three of the events listed below are happening Thursday evening. In addition to the Post-Gazette's well-publicized town meeting on education, there is an opportunity to learn about the history of our area at the University of Pittsburgh, or you can attend a public forum on education at Reizenstein Middle School. For more information about that town meeting on education, visit: <http://www.post-gazette.com/aboutpg/townmeeting.asp> BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EAST END/EAST LIBERTY AREAS The University of Pittsburgh's Center for Lifetime Learning is offering this course from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Cathedral of Learning. The instructor is Charles Honeywell, who informed Community Club members in October about a proposal for an East End history center. The course costs just $18 (paid in advance), with a $6 materials fee (paid to the instructor). Call 412-383-8600 to register. When I registered today I was told that seats are still available. Center for Lifetime Learning web site: <http://www.pitt.edu/~cgs/lifetime/> PUBLIC FORUM ON EDUCATION Public forum on quality of teaching in Pittsburgh public schools at Reizenstein Middle School at 6:00 pm. Superintendent John Thompson and 4 school board members are confirmed. Question & answer session follows the scheduled 1-hour program. RSVP to ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) at 412-441-6551. National ACORN web site: <http://www.acorn.org/> Rudy Highland Park webmaster

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updates: town meeting, special election, Farmhouse, Laforet & Food Glorious Food
by Rudolph T Maceyko 08 Feb '03

08 Feb '03

Here's a brief update about the Highland Park neighborhood... TOWN MEETING "Do Teachers Make the Grade?" - Town meeting at McConomy Auditorium, Carnegie Mellon campus, at 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 13. Registration required. More about the town meeting: <http://www.post-gazette.com/aboutpg/townmeeting.asp> MEET THE CANDIDATES - FEBRUARY 18 Find out more about Highland Park residents Bruce Brantley, Mitch Kates, & Bob Stumpp, and three others from elsewhere in City Council District 7 at the "Meet the Candidates" Forum at St. Andrew's Church at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, February 18. Dwight Clay of Stanton Heights, a late entry in the race, was disqualified last week due to not having enough valid signatures on his petition, leaving six remaining candidates. More about the forum and the City Council District 7 special election on Tuesday, February 25: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20030225-election.htm> GAS LEAK AT THE FARMHOUSE The Farmhouse is closed indefinitely due to a gas leak. As of early last week, Citiparks Office of Special Programs said it still planned to have registration there in two weeks for their Community Enrichment program schedule. HIGHLAND PARK BUSINESSES My financée and I recently dined at Laforêt, Highland Park's very own French restaurant on Bryant Street. We thoroughly enjoyed the Gourmand menu. According to about.com, Laforêt is one of Pittsburgh's top ten romantic restaurants, so don't be surprised if they are already booked for Valentine's Day! Visit about.com to read about Laforêt and the 9 other romantic restaurants: <http://pittsburgh.about.com/library/weekly/aa012902a.htm> We also visited Food Glorious Food on Bryant Street for their Romantic Valentine's Dinner demonstration. Tom & Brad made the experience quite fun and (most importantly) very tasty! They sell cooking implements of all kinds, and have a full schedule of cooking classes and demonstrations throughout the year. Read about Tom & Brad's work at the recent benefit luncheon presented by the Women's Board of Pittsburgh: <http://www.post-gazette.com/seen/acrosstown/20030203towns0203fnp1.asp> Highland Park businesses are featured on the Highland Park web page: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/business/directory.htm> Rudy

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updates: special election, school board, Farmhouse, etc.
by Rudolph T Maceyko 02 Feb '03

02 Feb '03

Here's a brief update about the Highland Park neighborhood... COUNCIL DISTRICT 7 SPECIAL ELECTION Dr. Michael Johnson, director of the Highland Park Community Plan, will be the facilitator for the "Meet the Candidates Forum" at St. Andrew's Church at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, February 18. Tom Fallon left the race last week. The remaining candidates are scheduled to attend. The forum is sponsored by the Highland Park Community Club and the East End Neighborhood Forum. The election itself is on Tuesday, February 25. <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/20030225-election.htm> SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 2 PRIMARY ELECTION Highland Park resident Patrick Dowd is running for the School Board seat of incumbent Darlene Harris in the primary election on May 20. Post-Gazette article about Patrick running against Darlene: <http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_city/20030115schoolboardcity4.asp> Lawrenceville Votes reports that there will be a town meeting on education on Thursday, February 13 at CMU's McConomy Auditorium at 7:00 pm. Call 412-263-1541 for registration and information. <http://www.lawrencevillevotes.org/> Schools in District 2: <http://www.pghboe.net/district/dist2.html> GAS LEAK AT THE FARMHOUSE(?) Last week I heard that the Farmhouse had been closed indefinitely due to a gas leak. If anyone has any information about this, please let me know. HPCC/HPCDC MIX-UP Last week in my note about Heth's Run bridge, I mistakenly mixed up the presidents of the Community Club and the CDC. David Hance is the president of the CDC; Lisa Williams is the president of the Community Club. HIGHLAND PARK HISTORY/HPCC HISTORY I continue to look for new information to add to the Highland Park history section of the Highland Park web page: <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/history/> If you have something to add, correct, or expand upon, please let me know! Photos are especially welcome. YOUR THOUGHTS When I created this list, I did not intend for it to be used just by me. Please let me know if you are interested in contributing to the mailing list, or even to the Highland Park web page! <http://www.highlandparkpa.com/> Rudy

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